My Abstract

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to identify the principal’s role in implementing curriculum innovation in school based on the dimensions namely instructional leadership style, transformational leadership style and change facilitator ( responder, the manager and the initiator) seen from the teachers' perception. A survey method using questionnaire was constructed by the researcher based on the instrument used by Rubaiya Abu Nawas (2006) for the leadership style was employed. The items for measuring change facilitator were constructed based on Hussein Mahmood (2008) and the items for the level of curriculum innovation implementation were taken from nine teaching models (MOE, 2003). The questionnaire was administered to 75 teachers from a secondary school in the district of Pasir Puteh which included 3 vice principals and 4 heads of departments. The data was processed using the SPSS version 16.0. The findings of the study were presented using mean, percentage and frequencies. Spearman rho’s correlation was used to measure the relationship. The findings of the study show that a high level of curriculum innovation implementation as perceived by the teachers. The finding also reveal that the principal plays an important role as instructional leader, transformational leader and changed facilitator. A significant positive correlation was identified between the principal as a transformational leader and the implementation level of curriculum innovation among teachers. There is also a positive and significant correlation identified between the principal role as the changed facilitator and the implementation level of curriculum innovation among teachers. However, there is no significant correlation between the instructional style of principal and the implementation level of curriculu innovation. In general, this research supports the importance of the principal’s role in carrying out curriculum innovation in school.